Would Lutie sing such Trash? Not she. She was looking for Difficult
Arias from the Italian, and she found many a one that was Difficult to
sing, and probably a little more Difficult to Listen To.

The Voice began to be erratic, also. When father wanted to sit by the
Student's Lamp and read his Scribner's, she would decide to hammer the
Piano and do the whole Repertoire.

But when Mother had Callers and wanted Lutie to Show Off, then she would
hang back and have to be Coaxed. If she didn't have a Sore Throat, then
the Piano was out of Tune, or else she had left all of her Good Music at
the Studio, or maybe she just couldn't Sing without some one to
Accompany her. But after they had Pleaded hard enough, and everybody was
Embarrassed and sorry they had come, she would approach the Piano
timidly and sort of Trifle with it for a while, and say they would have
to make Allowances, and then she would Cut Loose and worry the whole
Block. The Company would sit there, every one showing the Parlor Face
and pretending to be entranced, and after she got through they would
Come To and tell her how Good she was.

She made so many of these Parlor Triumphs that there was no Holding her.
She had herself Billed as a Nightingale. Often she went to Soirees and
Club Entertainments, volunteering her Services, and nowhere did she meet
a Well-Wisher who took her aside and told her she was a Shine--in fact,
the Champion Pest.

[Illustration: CRITIC]

No, Lutie never got out of her Dream until she made a bold Sashay with a